Research Projects
Identification of walking phenotypes in people post-stroke
Walking differs between people, to the point that we can recognize people by the way they walk, yet most research studies characterize walking using group-level average descriptors, which eliminate important individual differences. In this project, we will leverage the rich datasets derived from traditional laboratory gait analyses, to identify subgroups of walking patterns after injury, termed walking phenotypes, that could inform on individual impairments and define individual clinical targets. Identification of individualized intervention targets could improve the efficacy of walking interventions and more generally improve mobility, and associated participation, health, and well-being.
Recruitment Status: Recruiting participants post-stroke and adults with no neurologic or orthopedic injury between 40 and 80 years old.
Funding: National Institute of Health - National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences Grant 1R03TR004248-01
Determining changes in the neuromuscular control of walking during different walking demands
We can modify walking patterns implicitly in the presence of external perturbations, or explicitly during voluntary modifications. Particularly, people post-stroke retain the capacity to modify walking patterns explicitly using biofeedback and implicitly when encountering changes in the walking environment. Our goal is to assess changes in muscle activation patterns associated with walking modifications driven explicitly vs. implicitly, to determine whether individuals generate different amounts of co-contraction during explicit vs. implicit walking modifications. Understanding how walking modifications driven explicitly vs. implicitly influence co-contraction will allow us to identify approaches that can more effectively restore muscle activation toward pre-stroke patterns, promoting mechanism-based recovery of walking function.
Recruitment Status: Recruiting participants post-stroke and adults with no neurologic or orthopedic injury between 40 and 80 years old.
Funding: National Institute of Health - National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research Grant 1R03HD107630-01A1
Time uncertainty and adaptation of walking patterns and energetics
People adapt the way they walk during everyday life: we can adapt to wearing hiking boots, walking on rough terrain, and even walking on ice. Research has also shown that people adapt the way they walk to reduce the amount of energy required. The energy required to move depends not only on the movement pattern but also on the duration of movement. Here, we will explore whether people adjust movement patterns depending on how long they need to sustain the movement. This information is important for physical rehabilitation interventions, which should aim to restore movements but also to make these movements economical, and therefore movements might change depending on how long they need to be sustained.
Recruitment Status: Recruiting adults with no neurologic or orthopedic injury between 18 and 40 years old.
